Statement from the Jane Goodall Institute Convention of Biological Diversity COP16

The Jane Goodall Institute is attending the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) – which opened on October 21st in Cali, Colombia – as an official observer and presenter. We call on all parties to take decisive actions to support healthy ecosystems, protect nature, and ensure a sustainable planet. Please see our statement below. (You can also view the statement here.)

The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15 was a significant milestone in creating a pathway to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and restore harmony with nature by 2050. As global leaders gather in Santiago de Cali, Colombia for COP 16, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) commends the Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Government of Colombia for their leadership to host this pivotal COP in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, at a time when we urgently need to have local and global collaboration to address biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability. JGI urges all state parties to seize this critical moment as an opportunity to advance the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The theme of COP16 to make “Peace with Nature” carries profound significance, emphasizing the need for a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world, while promoting a different way of thinking to re-shape an economic model that does not prioritize unsustainable extraction and overexploitation of nature. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s message on the “triple crisis” underscores the urgent need to understand how climate change, biodiversity and pollution are interlinked.

“I hope that COP16 will see politicians, business leaders, and all those at the table agreeing that we must take action to reverse the loss of biodiversity and rising temperatures while there is still a window of time…… a window that is closing. To combat the harm we have inflicted on the environment, what is needed desperately is action. Making plans is one thing, working to carry them out is what matters now. All of us, and not only those in power, must work together to make the changes needed to ensure a future for our children and all future generations.”

Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

Interconnected Crises: Biodiversity loss compromises ecosystem integrity. Combined with the negative impact of climate change, these twin crises undermine global efforts to reach most of the SDG targets, further exacerbating environmental inequity, especially in low-income countries. JGI is committed to tackling these interconnected challenges through initiatives that integrate conservation science, Indigenous knowledge, and community-led nature-based solutions.

Indigenous Perspectives: JGI has a longstanding commitment to valuing Indigenous perspectives and the co-existence between natural and social environments. Our Tacare¹ community-led approach to conservation prioritizes and uplifts Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, reflecting on local and cultural-specific understanding developed and gained through generations of stewarding their lands. By respecting and combining Indigenous Science and community-based knowledge with the best available science data and technologies, we can foster sustainable practices that enhance biodiversity and strengthen local resilience.

Fair share: Indigenous Peoples steward one-quarter of the world’s terrestrial surface, including more than one- third of our planet’s forests, yet they represent only 5% of the global population and receive less than 1% of climate finance. Increasing financial support to Indigenous-led conservation projects and efforts by local communities most affected by biodiversity loss and climate change needs to be a priority, with a sustainable flow of funds to fully realize the impact of these efforts over generations.

Youth Voices: We recognize the critical role of young people in shaping a sustainable future. The JGI Roots & Shoots program provides a platform for youth voices and leadership in taking actions, tackling the intersectionality of biodiversity loss, climate change, and environmental inequity. Engaging youth not only fosters innovation but also ensures that diverse perspectives are included in decision-making processes.

Recommendations for participants and parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity at COP16:

1. Strengthening National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs): JGI urges parties to align their NBSAPs with the Global Biodiversity Framework, adopting a spatially explicit, whole-of- government and whole-of-society approach. Effective monitoring, reporting, and review mechanisms are essential for ensuring accountability and progress towards the four goals and 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
2. Mobilizing Means of Implementation: JGI stresses the critical need to mobilize financial resources, enhance capacity-building, and facilitate technical cooperation, particularly for developing countries, least developed countries, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and countries with economies in transition, as part of advancing environmental equity.
3. Integrating Conservation Science, Innovation, and Technology with Indigenous Knowledge: JGI recommends developing place-based frameworks that integrate conservation science and cutting-edge, innovative technologies with Indigenous and community-based knowledge. This integration can lead to more effective and culturally relevant conservation strategies, connecting local, national, and global objectives and action plans, enhancing biodiversity outcomes and fostering community engagement.
4. Ensuring Sustainable Use of Wild Species: JGI emphasizes the necessity of reaching Target 5 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, to ensure the use, harvesting, and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe, and legal. Overexploitation of wild species is not only a key driver for biodiversity loss, but it also significantly increases the risk of pathogen spill-over and zoonoses. We support a holistic ecosystem approach that respects and protects customary sustainable uses by Indigenous peoples and local communities.
5. Combating Wildlife Trafficking: JGI underscores the urgent need to strengthen international cooperation to combat wildlife trafficking, recognizing its links to biodiversity loss, climate change, and public health. Consideration of an additional protocol under the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) is essential.
6. Promoting Sustainable Agri-food Practices: JGI calls for a multi-sector approach to engage member states, NGOs, academic institutions, and other civil society actors working in the nexus of food security, biodiversity loss, and climate change. We advocate for collaborative solutions that can transform the agri- food systems to ensure food security for population in need with conservation efforts that promote nature- positive food production.
7. Empowering Young Leaders: JGI advocates for creating meaningful spaces for youth voices and leadership within biodiversity conservation initiatives. Youth representation in decision-making should be mainstreamed, bringing together state and non-state actors including universities, civil society organizations, businesses, and the media.

The Jane Goodall Institute calls upon all participants at COP 16 to embrace these recommendations and act decisively to advance the objectives of the Global Biodiversity Framework. The urgency for transformative action is paramount as we strive for a sustainable future for both humanity and the natural world. Together, we can foster a resilient planet for generations to come.

¹ Tacare is JGI’s community-led conservation approach that ensures communities drive their own development and conservation decisions, addressing their needs and the needs to restore and protect ecosystems that they are dependent on. Tacare focuses on integrating local and Indigenous knowledge with science data, technologies and tools as part of a collaborative participatory design process.

Resources:

• Convention on Biological Diversity, Texts and Annex Secretariat of the Convention on Biological
  Diversity Montreal, 2011
• End Wildlife Crime Initiative
• IPBES (2019): Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental
  Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. E. S. Brondizio, J. Settele, S. Díaz, and
  H. T. Ngo (editors). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany.
• IUCN at UN Biodiversity Conference CBD COP16, 2024
• WHO-CBD (2015). Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health: a State of Knowledge
  Review.
• UNODC, World Wildlife Crime Report 2024. Trafficking in Protected Species.
• Local Voices, Local Choices – The Tacare Approach to Community-Led Conservation. Jane Goodall
  Institute. Esri Press, 2022